


Warm

by twlghtprincess



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 23:43:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11301276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twlghtprincess/pseuds/twlghtprincess
Summary: One-shot written for tumblr-hosted 'Han and Leia Week 2016'. {Day Four: "Hoth"}





	Warm

     **H** e bites his bottom lip again, huffing when the cracks of his chapped skin were flooded with thick, unintentionally drawn blood. The rebels had been on Hoth all of three days and Han had already concluded that he would never be warm again.

His fourth day on the _‘frozen rock_ ’ as he affectionately called it - when he wasn’t cursing it under his breath - started much the same way. Wake up before dawn, because the blistering cold doesn’t allow him another minute, with his throat so dry it takes three or four minutes to hydrate properly after a drink of water. Proceed to swallow down a lukewarm breakfast pudding before moving to the eastmost hanger to continue unloading the rebels’ supply barges. Bend down, lift, carry, sort, over and over and over…

They were almost done, at least he hoped, and he was in a better mood today knowing he was allowed to unload the _Falcon_ , which was used to transport several crates of repair equipment and spare parts. He and Chewbacca trailed several others to the hanger, unsurprised to see the Princess standing in the middle of a crescent formed by the men and women on duty. At his side, Chewy groaned lowly in greeting, and she looks up, smiling and acknowledging the duo while continuing to rally the rebels.

Han stands quietly, his hands stuffed under his armpits and weight shifting from foot to foot. He frowns when she coughs for the third time, commanding voice hoarse before catching its smooth, clear rhythm again. “And, as always, thank you for your hard work. With the last of the supplies unloaded, we will be able to go full force into the next phase of our rebuilding Hoth into a formidable base.” A rough round of cheers finishes her pep talk (she _hates_ it when he calls them that), and they disburse in groups of twos and threes. Han beelines toward Leia.

“Nasty cough there, your highness! Tried stopping by to see the medic?” She gives him ‘ _the look_ ‘, another one of his terms of endearment. Her face blooms into mild annoyance, rosy lips pursed, doe eyes shining as they appraise him, her smooth brow now furrowed as she decides how to respond. “No, not that it would do me much good. Unless they can fill the air with a little moisture and stop the incessant snow.”

If her voice faltered before, it was strong and clear now, light and beautiful and so _her_ … Han shook his head lightly, trying to rid the thought as if trying to shake invisible snow from his hair. “Right… well, I’ll see you around.” He felt as if he had, in that moment, the most inspired idea since landing on the frozen planet, and it gave him a new determination to reach his ship.

He gives a little two finger salute, not that anyone could tell since all his fingers are meshed together in his mitt, and follows Chewbacca toward the _Millenium Falcon_ and her awaiting - _heavier than he remembers, dammit_ \- cargo. They work pretty steadily, powering through until lunch. Chewbacca calls through the emptier corridors of the ship, hailing for Han to join him in the makeshift cantina with the others for lunch. “I’m right behind you!” he answers before ducking into his room on the ship. It’s messy, as always, but he searches methodically, overturning unfolded clothing and yanking open tight drawers in search of an old electric blanket he wasn’t even sure still worked. The only reason he had not thought of it before was because the ice cave he was given as sleeping quarters didn’t have an electric plug. But now, with access to his ship again, he could charge it easily.

Grumbling a bit, he stops mid-search, mouth forming a small ’ _o_ ’ before diving under his bed. “Gotcha,” he smiles, holding up the gray cloth as long and wide as he is. Within minutes, the blanket’s charge light is blinking and he is at Chewy’s side, eyes scanning the room. He frowns when he doesn’t see Leia, but figures she’s ~~bossing~~ coordinating elsewhere.

The rest of his day is uneventful, much like the others, but he prefers uneventful to running for his life from imperials or bounty hunters. Before dinner, Han moves to the cockpit, his rough hands feeling the blanket. It’s not immaculate, but it’s not dirty either. His fingers flip the switch, and the smile on his face grows as the fabric heats up under his touch, and continues to do so even after being unplugged - _perfect_. He turns to see Chewbacca in the doorway. His co-pilot smiles, pointing at the blanket and uttering a series of Wookie utterances.

“I thought it didn’t work either, but I’m glad I was wrong. Should do the Princess some good,” he says, the last part more to himself, but his first mate hears and chuckles. “What’s so funny?” The _oh, nothing_ that comes back is slightly patronizing, yet friendly, and Han rolls his eyes. “She just needs it more than I do, that’s all,” he rationalizes to his friend before stuffing the folded blanket under his parka. A shiver crawls up his spine as the sudden additional warmth contrasts his cooler body temperature. He makes up his mind to give it to her after dinner.

When all of dinner passes without the Princess’ appearance, Han sets out to look for her. He hears her before seeing her, and follows her voice into the central operations room. Her pale face is lit by the green viewing screens, the blinking red lights reflecting in her eyes. She looks up and nods in his direction before finishing her conversation and excusing herself.

“Han, you needed me?” Her ability to read body language and facial expressions never ceases to surprise him, and he angles his shoulders, asking her wordlessly to follow. When she does, he smiles. “Not need, really, just wanted to give you this,” he admits, procuring the blanket from underneath the layer of his clothing once they are seemingly alone in a corridor. She reaches out for it, her mitt almost half the size of his. “Oh? I don’t have time to take it to the supply-” He cuts her off, placing his mitt over hers. “No, it’s not for supply. It’s for you.”

Confusion flickers in her eyes, and it translates to a half smile. “I have a blanket,” she says slowly, her gentle gaze resting on him. He wins the internal struggle not to roll his eyes. “I guessed as much, sweetheart, but this is electric. I know there aren’t many around here, and I just so happened to find this old thing while tidying up the _Falcon_ and figured it would help your cough.” She is still for a few seconds, gaze fixated on the gift before moving slowly up to his eyes. His inability to look away, even when hearing movement on his left, almost alarms him. “S'cuse me,” someone says, and Han takes a step back and glances down, the moment broken. Before he recovers, she closes the distance, boots scrunched as she pushes herself up to a tip-toe to kiss his cheek briefly and whisper, “ _thank you,_ Han.” Her breath is warm and brings goosebumps across his neck. “I-… anytime,” he murmurs back.

She smiles almost shyly before turning down the corridor, her paces brisk and no doubt taking her to her own quarters. Before turning completely out of sight, she stops and glances back. Her smile, no doubt in his mind, makes his ears a little red, and he gives a small wave before turning back the way he came. He swears it’s that smile that keeps him warm the next day during tauntaun wrangling, and while he scouts for optimal sensor placement the next week, and while he sits in this icy quarters, every night, waiting for sleep to win over achy joints and numbing toes, courtesy of Hoth.


End file.
